Improvement in envelopes



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J. CHAPMAN. ENVELOPES.

Patented July- 25,1876.

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ENVELOPES. No. 180,199. Patented July 25, 1876.

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IMPROVEMENT IN ENVELOPES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JosnPH CHAPMAN, of Dubuque, in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful I111- provement in Envelopes, which is fully described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 represents the blank as cut from a sheet of paper before folding. Figure 2 represents the blank partially folded; Fig. 3, the completed envelope ready to be secured Fig. 4, the envelope with the flap closed and pasted; Fig. 5, a cross-section of the closed envelope, taken on the line as at, Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 represent a modification of the blank, and the same folded.

The object of my invention is to provide a secure and ready fastening for envelopes which are used for registered or other letters containing money-or other valuables.

The invention consists, mainly, in providing a pocket for the reception of the tongue of the.

flap within the folds of the envelope without cutting them. It also consists in the peculiar method of holding the flap-tongue in place by folding it back within its pocket.

In the drawing, Fig. 1, A represents the front of the envelope when folded; B, the back; 0 O, the endpieces; and D, the flap, the dotted lines indicating the several folds which are to be 'made to form an envelope. The back B is first folded upon the front A, along the line a,and the small projection B turned down upon the outside of the back along the line a, .as seen in Fig. 2. The lower corners C G of the end pieces are then turned up along the lines I) b, and the end pieces folded alongthe lines o c, and pasted to the back B. The parts 0 0 being at the same time turned down'inside of the envelope along the lines d d the envelope now appears as shown in Fig. 3,.and is ready for use. I it is closed and secured for transmission as follows: e

From the above description it will be seen that upon the back of the envelope there is formed a pocket between the back B and the projection B, which has been folded down upon the back. The flap D is folded down upon the back along'theline'ele, and the tongue Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 180, I 99, dated July 25, 1876; application filed November 23, 1875. v

D is then turped back along the lineffunder the piece B, and within the pocket described above, as so e-n in section, Fig. 5. The tongue is gunnned upon either or both sides, and by this means may be securely fastened within the pocket. As an additional precaution, small supplementary tongues D D may be made upon the flapfand circular openings 9 9 cut in the end pieces of the blank. I

When folded it will be seen, as in Fig. 3, that small pockets are thus formed in the corner-pieces. The small tongues D D are inserted in these pockets, and, having been gumm ed upon either or both sides, are secured in place, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The small semicircular flap g g may also be gummed upon the inside and secured to the outside of the tongues. These supplementary tongues, however, may be dispensed with, in which case the flap D is out along the lines h h, and the circular openings 9 g in the blank are not made.

In Figs. 6 and 7, the envelope, Fig. 7, is formed by folding the blank, Fig. 6, along the dotted lines in a manner similar to that described above, and it will be readily seen that a similar result is secured in providing a fastening for the envelope. In this modification, however,the pieces 0 C may be dispensed with, if desired; but, for greater security, I prefer toretain them.

By the means above described I am enabled to secure the envelope in such a manner that the tongue cannot be removed by steaming, as may be done in' the envelope now in use for registered letters. At the same time I secure a small saving of paper in each blank, which, however, amounts to considerable in the manufacture of envelopes by the million.

The envelope now in use by the United States Post Office Department for registered letters-ten inches by five in size-requires a blank fourteen by twenty-three inches. To make the same-sized envelope, as described above, will require, if out as in Fig.1, a blank sixteen by seventeen and a half inches; if as in Fig. 6, a blank fourteen and a half by twenty-one inches, thus showing a slight saving in each instance.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction of envelope shown and described, for it is evident that the form of the blank and manner of folding may be varied greatly, and yet the main features of my invention retained.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an envelope, a supplementary pocket, formed by the folds of the blank without cutting, in combination with the tongue of the flap inserted therein in fastening the envelope.

2. An envelope-fastening, consisting of a pocket, substantially as described, and a tongue bent back Within the pocket, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. An emelope, consisting of a front, A, back B, provided with a supplementary strip,

.13, end pieces 0, having folded corners O,

JOSEPH CHAPMAN.

In presence of HEINRICH F. BRUNS, L. A. BUNTING. 

